The new cultivar is a product of chance discovery by the inventor Taiyan Yam. The discovery resulting in this new variety was made May 2007 at a commercial nursery in Malaysia. The interesting whole plant mutation was identified in a commercial planting of an unnamed, unpatented variety of Calathea lietzei. 
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘FUSION WHITE’ was first performed at a commercial nursery in Malaysia by vegetative cuttings in 2007. Plants were tested and evaluated for 2 years to determine the stability of the variegation. During the propagation testing period, plants showed consistent stability of the interesting variegation. Subsequently the inventor confidentially tested the variegation for stability as finished plants at his nursery in Apopka, Fla. during 2010 through 2012. Production of finished plants has also shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.